Plane for aeroplanes.



F. G BONNER.

PLANE FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.1,1911.

gg g y Patented Sept 16 19.72.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES INVENTOR F. G. BONNER.

PLANE FOB, ABROPLANBS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.1,1911

38 3} Patented Sept. 10,1912

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 WITNESSES iNVENTOF? M- & M K wh /w,

onrran sra rns Parana @FFIQE.

FREDERICK GREGORY BONNER, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLANE FOR AEBOPLANES.

inentin the supporting planes or wings thereof or to the vanes of the screws or propellers and is adapted for use in connect on with air propellers, air screws, beating wings, mono-planes, bi-planes, multi-planes and kites.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of aeroplane, or of wings, planes 9 r vanes therefor, which will have greater lifting power than aeroplanes, wings or vanes formed of continuous niaterial of the same area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of aeroplane or wing therefor which will be more stable and less easily overturned than thosenow in use, by reason of the fact that the variation in the position of the center of air pressure dur- 5 plane or plane therefor in which the angle of inclination of separate sections or segments of the plane to the horizontal will always be diiferent from that of the plane or aeroplane as a whole, thereby increasing the soaring and gliding ability of the plane or aeroplane.

As an illustration of a few of the many forms in. which my invention may be carried out in practice, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers represent like parts throughout the several views and in which Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic perspective view of an aeroplane equipped and constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a top view of a portion of one of the planes or wings thereof; Figs. 3 and 1 are cross sectional views, on the lines 3-3, 44, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a view, corresponding to Fig. 2, of another form of the invention;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 1, 1911.

Patented Sept. 1c, 1912.

Serial No. 668,413.

Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sectional views of the same on the lines 66 and 77, Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a top view of another modification; Figs. 9 and 10 are cross sectional views of the same on the lines 99, 10'10, Fig. 8; Fig.

11 is a top view of another form; and Figs.

12 and 13 are cross sectional. views of the same on the lines 12--12, 1313, Fig. 11; and Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view ofa propeller constructed according to my invention.

In Fig. 1 I have shown my invention as applied to a bi-plane of the well known l/Vright type. It may, however, be applied with equal facility to other types of aeroplanes and to any construction in which a supporting plane is used, or to propellers, where it may be used for the wings or blades thereof. The bi-plane illustrated consists of upper and lower main supporting wings or planes 1, which are alike in all details of construction, and which are connected together by a frame work 2 consisting of struts and tension members in the 1 form of bars, tubes or wires in the ordinary manner.

At the forward end of the frame 2 are provided the usual auxiliary guiding planes which are utilized for controlling the rise, fall and direction of the aeroplane in the air. The auxiliary planes may, if desired, be constructed in the same manner as ;the ma1n supporting planes 1 and according to my invention, but this is not neces- 1 sary. essary machinery, motor and controlling le- The frame will also support the neovers. As these form no part of the present invention, they are not illustrated or indicated, and are to be understood as being of any of the ordinary or preferred constructions and arrangement. I

Referring now to Figs. 2', 3 and e, which represent views of a limited portion of one of the wings or planes illustrated in connection with and embodied in the aeroplane gshown in Fig. l, the wing or plane 1 is Q shown as provided with 01' consisting of a [plurality of arched or curved segments or f sections at, which as shown in Fig. 1, are connected together at their ends and extend in a line laterally over or across the aeroplane.

The segments or sections a are shown as strips or bands of canvas, but may be formed of thin sheet metal or any other light and strong material. As shown in Fig. 2, each two adjacent segments or sections of the supporting material of the aeroplane which ml a t 1,

raw llllQ 01 segments mg; i an purl at 'slnm'n in a 5 l ('linatlun in a ll'vciion forwardly aux apmlrcll -g, is a comrmqraanae of the 1:10?

rile several lines 0t segmrn JF llze snppmrl- "Er Wing m? plarm are car-l1 m -nml Ema mxarrlll and upvardly, ash segment 1% s Mel: F; {350 of its ml g, u" ur- Wing, (11 or 7 llifl'iill as slmwn UII'PYllY rearward. oil Una un- 0' one of the srgrnm'als m Ger will be noted by til'zill'lli'lflllUl'l n'l ml cmninwtlons bul '05 or mlgzweul v1? am I annual pla mils -r sir "inns a? illn; new? forwardly :Llm'vr he v :1 napporling "vs-r l. \VQLU Lin c-n lsum. mi in same 2119 leilwelun' he 9-;11'120 ;'v1mral in he rlraviln" l have i lira? 0'1 sagarm; the edges ml lln mist line or ll that I (l\? not nrlinn, as l: may llnr ar lm shown l the malarial 01' body of H1 9. In this farm. 01 tl segments (11 staggered rclalim to 15am. preferred form re aon it is pos; of the several bL'fgll'lffllllri tional supporting slrips m. haw of alill" material extending in hr} same (hrmtion as plat of the travel of flu: aeroplane and 85 tr zsversely to the openln s 13. It is to be nndratwd in connecllrm will: thlr form Hf the i'nvvntion that the m in! plane or m'ing'shall be of thin fiexi rigid material salp mrhd and reinformkdby 9O strips or ribs (M iii! maierial l0 1" user-v0 the shape 01 the magaents 01' sec and their relation 10 each other.

Um nd 01 55v: ans, z'mlelr h 1:; shown asa single mnm or band of am preferrerl 11' 11mm 1 n law n+ t'y supporting for the full Width c! H10 suppm-ung 11g 01- pla n and is allrcctly torward of 1 n fourthform m;- lmwlifirtat'inn 01 Elm invzwtlnn which is rronstrncm mnewha': Vtur The: n'lannvr llllllsllfllfll in l l to 4;, 4. v. with rows 0r lines at m "at Ll of which is of curmrl m tending from side to ant-bylaw. The gments or scl'rfl 'rz' l8 v' rim cm-hm. warped rows 17 a i not, lm l urmplmi or connected liOQ'f'l'lllT "In 8111}. 12: lml; are arran' direcl'ion of t. the travel of the aeroplane. tions 19 lwtvnaen lljilC rlit plane or Wing shown in this; I 12,- lax-l ar 'anged in z nnneni :1 H may ncr ml the mns'l'rm ion illmairawt. l 'E rs. Z) in TV Each raw M of svgn inis; .18 u'l' tlw esser? thereof respectively elevated and depressed. In other WOICLS, as shown in Fig. 18, the body of each section or segment 18 is shaped as though it had been twisted between the spaced points of attachmenl of each row 17 audits adjacent row.

5 I have illustrated in Fig. ll an end view of a screw-propeller equipped and arranged according to my invention. This screw or propeller is formed of a plurality of wings vanes or blades 21, each of which may be arranged with its general plane or surface in the same place as that of the plane of l'tltrilx'l'll of the screw or propeller, but if desired, may be slightly inclined thereto. Each wing, plate or vane may have its surface termed of a plurality of separate diions, sec ions or segments according to any of th terms of the invention reterred ing openings 24 therebetween.

I desire to state that the inclination of the various segments, sections or divisions of the wings or planes illustrated in the drawings is shown in exaggerated conditii e. to say, the inclination there shown is considerably greater than that which would cone monly be used in practice. In practice. the inclination of the small sections or ents relative to the plane as wh would probably never exceed 3 a varies from this point down to nearly parallelism with the plane itself.

It is well known-that in a flat supporting plane or surface moving through the air, the point of air pressure always occurs and is located somewhat forward of the true geometric center of the plane itself, its exactlocation depending upon the inclination of the plane to the horizontal. in other words, as the inclination of the plane as a whole varies. the center of pressure occurs at difterent points along the direction of movement of the plane or surface through the air. At this point is concentrated the force tending to turn the plane over and disturb its equilibrium. In the usual forms of aero planes provided with continuous flat wings or planes, the tendency to overturn is a serious feature and one to be constantly con tended with.

it will be observed that with my improved construction. I have formed the entire supporting surtace oi"- the aeroplane of a plu i-ality of small segments or sections. each of which is capable of supporting its own share oi the entireload and which, though con 7 nected to all of the other segments or sections, acts in some respects as though itwere independent hereof. ll ith my improved construction of supporting plane, the center of pressure does not advance from the geometric center a distance equal to a certain definite proportion of the dimension of the entire supporting surface but, on the contrary. merely advances the same propor tion of the dimension of any one of the several segments or sections. The multiplica tion of such segments or sect-ions in a supporting plane or the division of-such a plane into a large number thereof consequently causes an ultimate advance of the center of pressure from the true geometric center of the plane which is quite inconsiderable with respect to the dimensions of the supporting plane as a whole. As a result, the tendency of an aeroplane equipped with my improved supporting planes or wings to tip or turn over and have its equilibrium disturbed, is far less than with planes constructed with continuous surfaces. illoreover, the gliding or soaring ability of an aeroplane is dependent in a great measure upon the amount of air which passes underneath or in contactwith the lower surface of the supporting plane. Vfith my improved construction, each supporting plane of the aeroplane is provided with a plurality of apertures or openings leading from top to bottom thereof, in rear of each of which is an inclined downwardly directed surface. These openings or apertures, therefore catch or pocket a certain amount of air which thereupon rushes through the body of the plane or wing and is directed downward thereby. At the same time, the air rushing past the lower .side of the plane or wing causes a 'rarefication of the atmosphere at this point and a tendency for the air above the plane to be sucked inor drawn through the apertures or openings therein. As a consequence, a larger amount'oi air passes beneath the lower surface of the supporting plane or wing than with other constructions, and the gliding or soaring ability of aeroplanes constrnct-ed with such planes or wings is greatly increased. In addition to what has just been stated, it is well known that the soaring, glid' and sust...ining ability of an aeroplane is t pendent to a great extent upon the angle of incidence or inclination of its planes to the horizontal. In. all aeroplanes moving horizontally through the air, the

planes are inclined forwardly and upw rdly. it will he noted that in each of the forms of my invention herein described eve y section or segment of the wing or plane. is forwardly and upwa dly with ral plane wing of this '1 l to Olllili. I in an a planes,

horizontal to the same degree as in planes as heretofore constructed, or, if the plane is so inclined greater lifting. sustaining, soaring and gliding ability will be obtained.

Planes or wings constructed according to my invention may be arranged with the segments or sections uniform in size or shape and according to any one of the modificaticns described, or if desired, a single plane or the several planes of an aeroplane may be arranged with combinations of segments or sections of different modifications or even with part of the surface unbroken or continuous. They may be varied in size and shape according to their location in the plane and may be uniform or varied in the amount of curvature and inclination of their surfaces.

What I claim is 1. A wing or plane for aeroplanes, said wing or plane being provided with a plurality of supporting sections connected together and so inclined to the general plane of the wing or plane as to cause passage of air downwardly through'the wing or plane.

2. A wing or plane for aeroplanes, said wing or plane being provided with a plu rality of warped or curved supporting sections, the sections being connected together and each so inclined to the general plane of the wing or plane as to cause passage of air downwardly through the wing or plane.

A wing or plane for aeroplanes having a plurality of openings therethrough, and being provided with inclined surfaces adjacent said openings and arranged to defleet the air downwardly therethrough.

t. A wing or plane for aeroplanes, said wing or plane being provided with a plurality of supporting sections, the sections having spaced connections therebetween providing a plurality of openings through the wing and each section being inclined and adapted to deflect air downwardly through one of said openings.

5. A wing or plane for aeroplanes comprising a plurality of rows of segments, said rows being each inclined to the general plane of the wing or plane, and spaced connections between adjacent rows providing av plurality of openings through the wing or plane and inclined supporting surfaces adjacent thereto and adapted to deflect air downwardly through the wing or plane.

6. A wing or plane for aeroplanes comprising a plurality of rows of segments, each row being of sinuous or wave-like form and inclined to the general plane of the wing or plane, and spaced connections between the rows, said connections being staggered and providing a plurality of supporting surfaces and openings through the plane.

7. A Wing or plane for aeroplanes provided with a plurality of segments or sections, said segments being arranged in staggered relation to each other and each inclined to the general plane of the wing or plane.

8. A wing or plane for aeroplanes pro vided with a plurality of arched or curved segments, said segments being arranged in line with each other and connected together at their ends, the wing or plane being further provided with apertures therethrough, said segments being so constructed and arranged as to deflect air downwardly throu h said apertures.

9. X wing or plane for aeroplanes, said wing or plane being provided with a plurality of openings therethrough and with a curved supporting surface in rear of each of the openings, the surfaces being inclined and each adapted to deflect air downwardly through its corresponding opening.

10. A wing or plane for aeroplanes comprising a plurality of supporting sections, said sections being connected together at their ends to form rows, each row being of wave-like or sinuous form and inclined to the general plane of the wing or plane, an the sect-ions of successive rows being in stag gel-ed relation to each other. I

11. A wing or plane for aeroplanes (011iprising a plurality of supporting sections. and connections between the several rows f sections, said connections being arranged in staggered relation to each other and pro viding an opening through the plane below each of said sections, said sections being each formed to deflect air downwardly through its opening.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto sc my hand.

FREDERICK GREGORY BONNER.

lVitnesses:

E. L. HYDE, MARY E. CAHOON. 

